Archangel – Chapter Eighteen

Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended.

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As the three approached the ship, they met Simon, walking with a woman. She was wiry, tall and slender, with auburn hair, and green eyes. River smiled slightly at the glasses, and nearly frumpy form of dress.

“A flower, yet to bloom,” she murmured.

“Hi, Simon,” Kaylee smiled. “Whose your friend?”

“Kaylee, River, Jayne, this is Jasmine Carter,” Simon introduced them. “She’s going to ride along with us a while, apparently. She’s a reporter. Jasmine, this is Kaylee Frye, the ship’s engineer, my sister River, our pilot, and Jayne Cobb, our security specialist.” Jasmine looked them over, smiling. Her glance lingered on Jayne a bit longer than Kaylee thought needful, but she needn’t have worried.

“You’re a rather tall man, Mister Cobb,” she said casually. “You wouldn’t happen to own a set of armor, would you?” she asked with a grin.

“Sure,” Jayne said gruffly. “Man needs body armor, out here.”

“I meant real armor, Mister Cobb,” Jasmine smiled. “But I’m sure you knew that.”

“Real armor?” Jayne feigned confusion. “Like all that knight in shinin’ armor go se? What’d a man need somethin’ like that for?”

“Oh, never know,” Jasmine shrugged.

“Well, let’s get you on board,” Simon said into the silence. The two started on, leaving Jayne and the girls watching.

“Inquisitive,” River said musingly.

“Nosy,” Kaylee grumped.

“Ladies,” Jayne chided gently. “Let’s play nice.”

“You better not play at all,” Kaylee warned darkly, and Jayne laughed.

“I don’t see how that’s funny!” Kaylee huffed.

“He laughs at your need to assert ownership,” River smiled. “He is yours, Kaylee. You should know that.” Kaylee colored a bit at that, but didn’t back down.

“Just so that’s clear,” she nodded.

“It’s clear, baby doll,” Jayne nodded. Kaylee looked mollified at that.

“Let’s get aboard,” River suggested. “See why we have a reporter ‘tagging along’ with us,” she grinned. “Though